Dr. Sneh Bhargava, the first and only woman to serve as director of AIIMS New Delhi, recounts her harrowing experience treating Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after her assassination in 1984. The article offers a rare, personal glimpse into the chaos and urgency of that tragic day through the eyes of a trailblazing physician who was thrust into history.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a historical footnote—it’s a human story about resilience, duty, and the weight of witnessing a nation’s defining trauma. Dr. Bhargava’s account bridges the personal and political, reminding us how pivotal moments live on in those who were there. For Indians, Gandhi’s assassination reshaped the country’s future; for the rest of us, it’s a sobering reflection on how violence intersects with leadership.